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FORESTRY 

From a Commercial Standpoint 



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Address delivered by F. W. Rane, 
Massachusetts State Forester, before 
the Massachusetts Horticulture Society, 
February Twenty-three, Nineteen Hun- 
dred and Seven 




FOREWORD 

The writer has been unable to 
supply the requests that have 
come in for this address, hence 
it is issued herewith from the 
State Forester's office for gen- 
eral distribution to Massachu- 
setts citizens 



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Approved by the State Board of Publication 



(Porwn) 

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FORESTRY 

FROM A COMMERCIAL STANDPOINT 




BY F. W. RANE, STATE FORESTER OF MASSACHUSETTS 

HERE are few if any problems of 
greater moment and more economic 
importance to the State of Massa- 
chusetts at the present hour than that 
of forestry. Doubtless there are those 
present who have known this forest 
patient when she was healthy, vigor- 
ous and strong ; how beautiful primeval forests 
dotted this good old Bay State in those days and 
how, year by year, they have succumbed to our 
mad rush of uneconomic commercialism, until to- 
day finds us in a sadly depleted and unrational 
condition, viewed from the standpoint of modern 
forest management. It is always easy to point out 
mistakes after they have happened; but experi- 
ence, though a dear teacher, is nevertheless ex- 
tremely effective. Year by year the primeval forest 
growth was cut and harvested. Second growth, 
inferior but valuable, has followed, where condi- 
tions have been favorable, and this has, in turn, been 
utilized as soon as it reached merchantable size. 
Demand for forest products has been increasing 
in greater and greater proportion as we have been 
developing the State and nation, while the prod- 
ucts themselves have likewise been approaching 
exhaustion. Our people have looked upon the 
forest products as inexhaustible, thinking naturally 
that, though Massachusetts should be depleted, 
there are plenty of other States at our very doors 
3 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

with indefinite supplies. Many of our country- 
loving and far-sighted citizens have time and again 
in the past predicted our present calamity; but 
the commercial era has absorbed us, and the 
successful business man of America has been the 
admired of admirers. /Esthetics in a new country 
are as nothing compared with commercial activi- 
ties, when the bases of the commodities dealt in 
are free gifts and cost only for the marketing. 
The balance finally comes with the nation's 
development. 

From the substantial old-time sawmill, — form- 
erly so common upon our streams, now only relics 
of bygone days, — our evolution has developed to 
the portable mill. Instead of taking the logs to 
the mill, we now take the mill to the logs. While 
it is easy to comprehend this change of milling 
operations and the economy therein, the effect 
upon forestry itself and the country community 
has changed most remarkably. When logs were 
taken to the mills, most farmers employed their 
teams and labor during the winter months in 
getting out lumber for home consumption, but 
sold enough to make the effort and time profit- 
able. The old-fashioned method, too, of not 
cutting clean but taking only the larger and 
mature trees, did not destroy the forest, for re- 
placement followed rapidly. Our present method 
is to sell the stumpage; and, as the purchaser 
finds he is able to market every vestige of the 
product, the forest area is stripped of vegeta- 
tion. In earlier days this extreme of clearing 
was done only when the land was to be used 
for agricultural purposes. Where the larger 
growth only was taken out in the past, in twenty 
years or so the same land could be cut over 
4 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

again at a profit ; under the present practice it 
will require a period of nearly or quite twice as 
long for similar results. Again, even the cutting 
clear practice was not so productive of ill results 
until it came into such common use. When only 
here and there a tract was cut, the surrounding 
growth reseeded it ; to-day the reseeding factor, 
also, is cut, leaving great areas where Nature is 
unable to assist as formerly. The white pine, 
for example, will re-establish itself whenever the 
conditions are favorable. When, as in earlier 
times, the ill-shaped and limbed specimens con- 
tained no commercial value, they were allowed 
to remain standing. These trees make our best 
seed trees, hence were responsible for reforesting 
the land with this species. To-day even these 
seed trees have value. No matter how pronged 
or crooked, they will make box-boards, pails, 
tubs, matches, etc., and bring prices of from $14 
to $ 1 6 a thousand, when delivered. The results 
of this practice are, as we find them, altogether 
too common. Portable mills are operating at the 
present on wood lots that in earlier times could 
not be used commercially. Where the diameters 
of trees were thought of in terms of feet, we have 
simply changed the feet to inches for present 
practical usage. The commercial pine tree of 
to-day hardly reaches the seed-producing age 
before it is harvested. 

What is true of white pine is equally true of 
many other of our forest trees. Our pulp com- 
panies chew up practically everything of the spruce 
and even balsam fir, which a few years ago was 
considered practically worthless, but which at 
present is of equal value in limited amounts. 
Hemlock was little thought of for joists and gen- 
5 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

eral framing material in buildings not long since, 
but our carpenters now are not so particular. 
The American larch, commonly called tamarack 
or hackmatack, found growing in low, moist situa- 
tions, was valueless until railroad ties and telegraph 
poles grew scarce ; and then they found immediate 
value, now having largely disappeared. Hickory, 
commonly called walnut in New England, was 
the only wood thought suitable for tools, ax- 
handles, whiffle-trees, etc. ; but go to the market 
and see what are being substituted in its place. 
Of course our tools do not last as long as form- 
erly. Were there time, it could be shown that 
each and every kind of wood has special qualities 
that adapt it for specific usefulness. The more 
we advance in commerce, industries and manu- 
factures, we continue to discover new economic 
uses for all of our raw materials and products- 
There is not a species of wood grown at present 
but has a recognized standard of value. The 
time has come when simply the growing of cord- 
wood in most sections of Massachusetts is a 
promising crop. Particularly is this true where 
the burning of brick is an important industry. 

We, as a Commonwealth, are at an extremely 
interesting stage at the present time as regards 
our forestry problem. It is not only true of Mas- 
sachusetts, but of New England and, for that mat- 
ter, the whole country, to a greater or less extent. 

As long as the prices of forest products re- 
mained low, we laughed at the idea of forest 
depletion. Experience is a wise teacher ; and 
although the histories of older countries point out 
very clearly the mistakes they have made, their 
errors are seldom heeded in a new country until 
many of the same experiences have resulted. 
6 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

When our forefathers came to these shores, 
New England was a vast wilderness, a primeval 
forest. We are told of the magnificent forests, 
and how individual trees reached great propor- 
tions throughout this whole section. Even the 
decaying stumps still extant remind us that but 
yesterday, in point of time, these monarchs of the 
forest which had been growing for centuries were 
with us. To-morrow a forest tree producing ever 
a thousand feet board measure will be a veritable 
curiosity. We country-loving and public-spirited 
people are extremely anxious that the nation re- 
serve certain portions of the White Mountains 
and the southern Appalachian range, that coming 
generations may enjoy, take pride in and benefit 
therefrom. A birthright for them as small as this 
is a pittance compared with the vast and almost 
endless expanse of virgin forest areas that was 
ours. 

Viewing the subject as a whole, therefore, we 
must recognize that the time is ripe for action and 
public concern. To accomplish results, much 
thoughtful study and definite systematic planning 
must be done, in order that there will be no 
obstructions in the way. Education and example 
are our tools to work with. 

"Forestry is the science and art of forming and 
cultivating forests ; the management of growing 
timber." Forestry, therefore, as the title of my 
address indicates, is concerned with the economic 
production of merchantable wood and timber. 
Forestry should rightfully be thought of as a com- 
mercial industry. The forest products of a coun- 
try should be one of her greatest assets, just as 
much as that of any other crop, agriculturally 
speaking, and even more to be relied upon than 
7 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

our income from mining ; for, with proper man- 
agement, the investment will be permanent, in- 
exhaustible, and hence fundamental to the nation's 
life and prosperity. 

Lumbering is as important to successful forestry 
as is the digging of potatoes or the harvesting of 
any crop when it is ripe. The same essentials of 
culture, also, must be understood in getting maxi- 
mum returns in the one case as in the other. 

Forestry and commercial forestry are synony- 
mous terms. Forestry in its true sense, when 
managed properly, will utilize our three million 
acres of land in Massachusetts, — at present seen 
scattered in every section, known as waste land, 
abandoned pastures, sprout lands, barrens, plains, 
etc., — returning them to forest culture. The same 
culture that will return saw logs to our mills, make 
work for our country folk in winter, replenish our 
town treasuries, repaint the old red schoolhouse, 
pay the sexton to again ring the church bell, make 
better roads and, in short, return the former sub- 
stantial livelihood of country life, will also con- 
serve moisture, protect and enrich the soil, give 
an equable climate and return to Massachusetts 
and New England the natural beauty we all would 
love so much to see. 

If commercial forestry will do this, the aesthetic 
man, who now and then sets out a shade tree and 
spends more time criticising the practical lumber- 
man, can employ his time to better advantage. 

Our portable mill operators, who are to be 
found in nearly every country town, are, generally 
speaking, our best and most public-spirited citizens 
and, as a matter of fact, the leaders of the com- 
munities. These men also are the most approach- 
able men in the world, and willing to foster and 
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COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

further every reasonable and commendable pro- 
ject. ' These men, I am confident, will be the 
men of the future, to be relied upon to do things 
in forestry. The fact that forest products are 
valuable and likely to increase rather than dimin- 
ish, — it being an easy matter to demonstrate, 
even at present prices, that reforestation and 
better forestry management will pay, — gives life 
and interest to the undertaking. 

Go into any rural section, or city, for that mat- 
ter, in Massachusetts to-day and discuss modern 
forestry intelligently, beginning with the collecting 
of the seed, time of year to gather them, when to 
plant, how to care for the seedling, distance apart 
to set for results, when to thin and whether to 
prune, number of years to maturity, the kind of 
soils for different species, probable returns upon 
the investment, etc., and there is little trouble in 
interesting our people. 

For the rest of my time to-day I want to give 
some forestry data likely to be of interest. Any 
data given upon forestry is, generally speaking, 
only suggestive ; but if the basis of estimating is 
also given, comparative adaptations can be made 
where conditions vary. 

In giving the following estimates, I have taken 
precaution to be conservative. It is better, it is 
thought, to give the data as it really exists, although 
the picture may not be as attractive. The rate of 
interest, the price of land and the assessed valua- 
tion upon the increment growth are all variable 
and elastic factors for basing computations. 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 



PROFITS FROM WOODLAND UNDER 

PRESENT CONDITIONS IN 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Term of years, forty. Taxes and valuation, 
figured at 4 per cent, compound interest. Aver- 
age price of woodland, free of growth, estimated 
at $6 per acre. As the trees grow, an addition 
of $5 per acre every ten years is allowed, as 
follows : — 

First ten years $6 00 

Second ten years, . . . . . 1 1 00 

Third ten years, 16 00 

Fourth ten years, . . . . . . 2 1 00 

The average tax rate throughout the State is 
$ 1 7 per thousand. 

Second growth white pine, chestnut and sprout 
hardwood growth are those we are most familiar 
with. 

(i) SPROUT HARDWOOD GROWTH 
In sprout hardwood growth it is generally con- 
sidered that a cord per year can be obtained 
in average conditions on an acre. Therefore, forty 
years equals forty cords ; stumpage value, $50 
to $80, depending on locality and proximity to 
market. 

INVESTMENT AT END OF FORTY YEARS 

Compound interest of valuation, $6, for forty years, $22 8 1 

Taxes, with interest : — 
First ten years, . . . . $3 97 

Second ten years, . . . . 4 48 

Third ten years, . . . . 4 83 

Fourth ten years, .... 4 29 

17 57 

Total cost, $40 38 

Profit, $ 1 to $40 in forty years per acre, or 
25 cents to $1 an acre per year. 

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COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 



(2) CHESTNUT GROWTH 

Can expect about 100 good telephone poles 
or 300 ties with 1 5 cords of wood, total net 
approximate value of $100. Investment at end 
of forty years, same as for sprout hardwood growth, 
$40. This leaves a net profit of $60 per acre 
in forty years, or $1.50 a year per acre average. 

(3) SECOND GROWTH WHITE PINE 
(NATURAL REPRODUCTION) 

From actual measurements, this growth was 
found to yield on an acre 25 cords of white pine 
and 1 5 cords of hardwood. White pine is 
worth $5 per cord net for lumber, and hard- 
wood for cord wood 1 . Total, 40 cords, equals 
$ 1 40. Deducting $40, the investment, which is 
the same as for sprout hardwood growth and 
chestnut, leaves a net return of $100 an acre 
in forty years, or a net income of $2.50 a year 
per acre. 

(4) NATURAL PASTURES (SO CALLED) 
There are in Massachusetts over 1 ,000,000 
acres of pasture lands. Assuming that all cattle 
and sheep are pastured at the average rental, 
statistics show that these lands do not average 
$1.50 a year per acre. If from this sum we 
subtract $1 a year, the amount allowed for taxes 
on valuation and compound interest on valuation, 
the same amount as allowed in the case of forestry 
lands, the net income for an acre per year is only 
50 cents. This shows that there are thousands 
of acres of pasture lands in Massachusetts that 
rightfully and economically should be turned over 
to forestry. 

II 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

Time was when this State was a great pro- 
ducer of grazing animals that were raised at a 
profit. Conditions now are greatly changed ; and 
if we have learned anything in scientific agricul- 
ture in recent times, it is that concentration on 
smaller areas and a more definite rotation of 
crops make the successful farmer. This same 
logic and philosophy turn over acres upon acres 
of lands of our farms, at present in an unproduc- 
tive and unprofitable stage, to an industry with 
not only great possibilities commercially, but im- 
proving a condition at present greatly needed. 

(5) WHITE PINE PLANTED (NURSERY 
STOCK) 

White pine seedlings, set 6x6 feet, require 
1,210 per acre. Two-year seedlings are worth 
$5 per 1,000. 

Compound interest on valuation, $11, for forty 

years, $41 81 

Compound interest, 1,210 seedlings, at 
$5, $6 05 

Compound interest, transplanting 

1,210 seedlings 4 95 

Total $11 00 

$11 at interest for forty years 52 80 

Taxes, with interest : — 
First ten years, . . . . $6 63 

Second ten years, . . . . 7 15 

Third ten years 6 34 

Fourth ten years, . . . . 6 33 

26 45 

Total cost $121 06 

Product at end of forty years, 40,000 B. M. 
feet, at $5, equals $200, leaving a net profit of 
$78.94, or $1 .97 a year per acre. 

These figures are based upon the maximum 
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COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

cost of seedlings and planting, also the valuation 
of pasture land at $ 1 1 , instead of waste lands, as 
considered under (1), (2) and (3), at $6. 

(6) WHITE PINE PLANTED (HOME GROWN 
OR NATIVE SEEDLINGS) 

Compound interest on valuation, $6, for forty years, $22 81 
Initial outlay for seedlings and planting, $5 per acre, 

plus interest for 40 years, . . . . 29 00 

Taxes, with interest, forty years, . . . 17 57 



$59 38 



Returns at end of forty years, 40,000 B. M. 
feet, at $5, equals $200. Subtracting cost, $69.38, 
leaves the net profits in forty years $ 1 30.62, or 
an average of $3.26 a year per acre. 

Reducing the whole to tabular form, we have 
the following : — 

1 . Under favorable natural conditions of re- 
forestation ; returns per acre in forty years and 
average an acre each year : — 





Per Acre 


Aver, an Acre 


Growth : — 


in Forty Years. 


Each Year. 


Hardwood, . 


. $0 00 to $40 00 


$0 00to$l 00 


Chestnut, 


60 00 


1 50 


Second growth white pine, 


100 00 


2 50 



From pasture land, valuation $11, average $0.50 an acre per year. 

2. Where trees are planted ; returns per acre 
in forty years and average return an acre each 
year : — 





Per Acre 


Aver, an Acre 


White pine : — 


in Forty Years. 


Each Year. 


Valuation, $11. 






Seedlings, planting, $11 + 


. $70 00 


$1 75 


Valuation, $6. 






Seedlings, planting, $5, . 


. 130 62 


3 26 



From these calculations it is shown that, even 
under present conditions, forestry can be practised 
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COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

commercially with a reasonable profit. As a long 
time investment the returns must be considered as 
offering exceptional opportunities. The rate of 
interest under each example cited, per year, for 
the principal first used, at the end of the forty 
year period, is in each case as follows : — 

Per Cent. 

(1) Oto 16 

(2) 25 

(3) 41 

(4). 4 

(5) 9 

(6) 29 

No matter how attractive we may make it, the 
fact still remains that few people are willing to 
make long time investments and wait for their 
fruition. The time is coming, however, when far- 
sighted business men will recognize this source of 
investment as a safe and profitable one. The 
State of Massachusetts, it is believed, can well 
afford to make a beginning in this direction by 
purchasing at low cost much of our cheap lands 
and restocking them as forest reserves. Not only 
can they be made a valuable asset in the future 
to the Commonwealth, but to serve as examples 
of forestry methods. 

Forest fires are a great menace to practising 
modern forestry in Massachusetts and are un- 
doubtedly one of the greatest drawbacks to for- 
estry undertakings. Our present laws regulating 
this problem are not effective enough. We have 
bills before the present General Court of Massa- 
chusetts looking toward an improvement in this 
direction. [Has become a law.] 

The laws relative to the taxation of forest lands 
are in no way systematized or deduced to secur- 
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COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

ing the best results. It is to be hoped that some 
simple, practical and expedient forest taxation 
laws may be formulated at an early time. 

The greatest of all needs, however, — and we 
must come back to it as the foundation upon 
which our whole forestry structure must stand 
for success, — is a well-defined educational system, 
by which our people may be taught not only 
to recognize the importance of forestry, but how 
to get best results from a practical knowledge of 
the theory and practice combined. 

In conclusion, I would say, let us be wise and 
farsighted. The Massachusetts and New Eng- 
land of the future will be what you and I make 
it. History repeats itself. In the Old World the 
rise and fall of the Roman Empire had its asso- 
ciations with commercial forestry. Spain, — once 
the country of equable climatic conditions and 
beautiful meadows, the native country of the 
merino sheep and a progressive and prosperous 
agriculture, — has cut down her forests, denuded 
her mountains ; and what is her present condi- 
tion ? We are told that in Biblical times certain 
valleys in Palestine were so fertile that they sus- 
tained and nourished great flocks and herds. 
Figuratively speaking, these valleys flowed with 
milk and honey. In those days the cedar of 
Lebanon and other forest trees were found in all 
their glory. What sort of a country is Palestine 
to-day ? Travellers tell us it is dangerous to travel 
without a guide ; the country is parched, dry and 
desolate. 

What do we propose for the future of this 

nation or, for that matter, Massachusetts? If 

we are public-spirited, as I believe we are, and 

have a love for our country and Commonwealth, 

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COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 

we will awake to our responsibility ere it is too 
late. 

Instead of following the example of countries 
like those mentioned, let us emulate the example 
of Germany, where modern forestry is practised 
successfully. Then, and only then, can we feel 
proud in believing we have done our full duty 
toward the forest interests of our native land. 




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